Super Saffie Osborne helps Wales and The West regain Racing League crown with 824-1 treble

Super Saffie Osborne helps Wales and the West regain Racing League crown with 824-1 treble

Jamie Osborne (centre) holds the Racing League team trophy aloftCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

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Wales and the West regained their Racing League crown on the final night of the team competition.

The 2022 champions started the evening with a 41.5 point lead over London and the South and unlike last year – when they were pipped by Kevin Blake’s Ireland – the Jamie Osborne-led team maintained their advantage to secure a second Racing League title.

Osborne utilised his joker well in the opening 1m4f handicap, securing double points when his daughter Saffie steered the Ian Williams-trained Dancing In Paris to success before she followed up on Noodle Mission in the 7f handicap to get Wales and the West off to a perfect start.

Saffie Osborne was bidding for her third consecutive Racing League leading rider title and her closest pursuers Danny Muscutt and Billy Loughnane got on the board for the evening with victories on Manxman and Oliver Show respectively.

However, Osborne sealed a hat-trick in the £20,000 leading rider event in the penultimate 1m3f handicap when Fantasy Believer struck for her father’s Lambourn counterpart Ed Walker.

The 22-year-old’s 824-1 treble also ensured Wales and the West held an unassailable lead over The East, with a final haul of 869 points significantly higher than the winning score of 816 from Ireland last year.

Ireland took the honours in the final race of the 2024 competition when Thunder Moor completed doubles for Loughnane and George Boughey but it was not enough to repeat last year’s heroics, when a 636-1 treble helped them snatch victory from Wales and the West.

Saffie Osborne receives the £20,000 leading jockey cheque for the third year in a rowCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

“I’m deeply scarred by what happened here last year, getting beaten by seven points in the last race,” Jamie Osborne told ITV Racing. “We were very determined that the same thing wouldn’t happen again.

“We probably lack the quality of some of the other trainers but we’ve all bought into it. Our team is a genuine team. Ultimately trainers are incredibly selfish animals but that’s been put to one side for these six meetings to try and win it for our team.

“Now all our staff are going to get a very nice bonus thanks to Racing League and Arc — £50,000. We’re going to split it on a runner basis so for somebody else it makes a real difference.

“It’ll work out at £602 a runner so if you’ve had a small yard like Grace Harris or Chris Mason and had a couple of runners, there’s your money. It’s fantastic.”

After securing her third title courtesy of eight winners, three seconds and two thirds, Saffie Osborne said: "To be fair to Dad, he's done a brilliant job of organising our team.

"Thank God I don't have to hear about Racing League until next year now, that's all he talks about!"

Racing League 2024 final standings

1. Wales and the West 869 points
2. The East 772.5
3. London and the South 757
4. Ireland 703
5. The North 477
6. Scotland 434.5
7. Yorkshire 360